Species-Specific Expansion and Molecular Evolution of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase (HMGR) Gene Family in Plants

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Jinhong Chen (Creator)

Qiuling He (Creator)

Wei Li (Creator)

Wei Liu (Creator)

Hengling Wei (Creator)

Baohong Zhang (Creator)

Shuijin Zhu (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Kazakh dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz, Tk) is a rubber-producing plant currently being investigated as a source of natural rubber for industrial applications. Like many other isoprenoids, rubber is a downstream product of the mevalonate pathway. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) enzyme catalyzes the conversion of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA to mevalonic acid, a key regulatory step in the MVA pathway. Such regulated steps provide targets for increases in isoprenoid and rubber contents via genetic engineering to increase enzyme activities. In this study, we identify a TkHMGR1 gene that is highly expressed in the roots of Kazakh dandelion, the main tissue where rubber is synthesized and stored. This finding paves the way for further molecular and genetic studies of the TkHMGR1 gene, and its role in rubber biosynthesis in Tk and other rubber-producing plants.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

PLoS ONE; 9:4 p. 1-10

Language: English

Date: 2014

Keywords

Gene Expression, 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase, Root, Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Taraxacum kok-saghyz

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